Records: Influence helped dozens get into UT

By Bobby Blanchard and Christy Hoppe, DALLAS MORNING NEWS

July 20, 2015Updated: July 20, 2015 10:58pm

AUSTIN - Dozens of highly influential Texans - including lawmakers, millionaire donors and university regents - helped underqualified students get into the University of Texas, often by writing to UT officials, records show.

Dozens of other famous Texans, many of them UT alumni, also helped tip the scales. They include Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former regents Jess Hay and Tom Hicks, former chairman of the state University Coordinating Board Larry Temple and former UT quarterback Randy McEachern.

The letters surfaced through an outside investigation into the admission process, known as the Kroll report. The investigation highlighted 73 students from 2009 to 2014 who entered the state's premier campus despite relatively low high school grade averages (less than 2.9 on the 4.0 scale) and SAT scores of less than 1100. Such marks would usually have precluded their admission.

The copies of letters obtained by the News under the state's open records law do not identify specific students.

Translator

To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below.

In a written statement Monday, UT spokesman J.B. Bird said the university is committed to a "fair and transpareny admisssions process."

"Chancellor (Bill) McRaven plans to present a proposal for system-wide admissions practices, based on the work of a distinguished committee of former university leaders and informed by past admissions reviews, including the Kroll Report," Bird said. "We look forward to implementing his proposals."

The Kroll report found that the students were admitted by Powers, and it suggested that political or personal connections may have influenced the decision.

The admissions issue and suggestions of favoritism have become a flashpoint on the UT governing board. Regent Wallace Hall has relentlessly questioned the administration and pushed for the ouster of Powers, who stepped down in June.

Powers has defended his role in the admissions process.

"In every case, I acted in what I believed was the best interest of the university," Powers said when the Kroll report was released in February. He was unavailable for comment Monday.

Hall declined to comment Monday on the admissions.

While the Kroll report said UT should adopt admissions policies that "are perceived as fair and transparent," it also noted Powers did not break any laws or UT System rules in his actions.

UT, under state law, automatically admits all students who graduate in the top 7 percent of their high school class. For others, UT weighs academic achievements, SAT scores, special accomplishments, essays, socioeconomic status, racial or ethnic background and letters of recommendation.

In 2014, more than 38,000 students applied to UT-Austin. Less than half were offered a spot, and 7,285 were enrolled.

In the records obtained Monday, more than 250 letters were written on behalf of the 73 students highlighted in the Kroll report. They came from lawmakers, wealthy business people, donors, UT advisers, former UT athletes and other close friends to the university. Also included were letters from high school guidance counselors and teachers.

Speaker Straus wrote twice to the director of the admissions office on behalf of family friends - in November 2012 and for a different student in February 2013. Later in 2013, Straus directed a committee to investigate Hall, who had doggedly been pursuing investigations into UT operations.

"I know (the student) well as our families are close friends," Straus wrote in the 2012 letter. She "is a multi-generation Longhorn legacy, dating back to 1924."

Straus spokesman Jason Embry said the speaker was clear that he did not intend to wield undue influence.

"Speaker Straus was happy to advocate for his constituents but, as he told President Powers in writing, he did not want or expect special treatment for any students," Embry said. "The speaker felt UT officials were best qualified to make judgments about which students deserved admissions."

Hutchison, who is now president of the UT alumni association, said that as a senator and now in private practice, she would write letters of recommendations for any constituent or friend who asked.

"Some I recommended got in, and some didn't. And some I didn't know whether they did or didn't. So I never thought it was out of line, but I didn't write that many," she said.

Hutchison said the Kroll report identified 73 students over five years who wouldn't have made the cut without help from Powers and important backers. She pointed out that represented only about 15 students a year in classes of around 7,000 students.

The report indicated new slots were created for those students, so their admissions didn't displace anyone, Hutchison said.

"It was add-on of about 10 who in the president's judgment, had extenuating circumstances, whether it was a connection, or a different achievement, or who could add diversity, geographic as well as racial," Hutchison said. "So I don't think that is out of line at all. … I've been astonished at all the negativity when I think our system is very fair and open."

All university presidents across the nation make such judgment calls, she said. "They have to balance the student body and have support from people who care about the university," Hutchison said.